


Seeking Flight

by docmatthew



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Sports, BASE Jumping, Minor Character Death, Skydiving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-27
Updated: 2015-07-27
Packaged: 2018-04-11 12:03:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4434752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/docmatthew/pseuds/docmatthew
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was in his genes, Tony knew. After all his father and grandfather had been pioneers in the extreme sports world. He was born to fly, and that was what he was going to do. At the age of twelve he wanted to go skydiving for his birthday, and his father gladly agreed. It was the start of his life's passion. </p>
<p>After a tragic jump Nick Fury, a huge influence on the sport, and Shield did what they could to recruit Tony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Seeking Flight

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first chapter/prequel.

_May 29, 2002 + Skydiving, tandem jump (12,500 feet)_

At age twelve Tony Stark made a request for his birthday that others might find extreme or stranger however in the Stark household asking to jump out of a perfectly good plane was not that strange. All Tony wanted for his birthday was to do his first skydive. He had been doing extreme sports for a while now, but they were all Earth or water bound sports. Things like biking, snowboarding, surfing, motorcross, small ascent rock climbing, and wakeboarding. He had been mastering those since he was old enough to walk. And why not? It was in his blood, a key component to his DNA. Tony was an athlete. His father and grandfather had been pioneers in the industry. Howard Stark, Sr. had been in the original company to make the first ever full ascent of Mount Everest, and Howard Stark, Jr. had started an equipment company (Stark Industries) for extreme sports and broken the world record for most skydives in one day, among many other things. This was what Tony was made for.

So, when young Tony asked his dad to take him skydiving for his birthday Howard had no problem saying yes. It wasn't unusual to them. The day he flew for the first time he threw up in the plane. They ascended to 12,500 feet and even though Tony had gotten sick it had been Tony to pull him and his father out of the plane when the green light gave them the go. It had been a tandem jump of course and Howard had been firmly strapped to Tony as they free fell. The rush of air past his ears, the drop in his stomach, the way his body pumped adrenaline into his system, and the way the parachute gently pulled at his shoulders when it deployed. It was unlike anything he had ever done before. Tony thought that taking a bike over a canyon or pulled up on a lose rock had been the most alive he'd ever feel but then he flew. He jumped and flew and landed and that was it. Tony was hooked like a junkie on heroin. For the rest of his life he would chase that adrenaline high.

After that first jump he jumped and jumped. Every single chance he got he took to jump and by fifteen he was jumping by himself. Instead of playing basketball with kids his own age he was folding parachutes with his dad and his dad's buddies. For career day Tony explained in great detail that he wanted to be an extreme sports athlete and showed everyone the physics beyond skydiving. It grew to consume his life and soon just jumping wasn't enough. He wanted more and more.

 

_October 19, 2006 + Skiing at Dolomites, Italy_

It was very often that Tony's parents took trips out of the country to pursue their own sports, leaving Tony at home with a nanny or family. It bothered Tony but he mostly let it go because that was when he and Jarvis got to do some crazy things. This time however was something else. 

Tony didn't think he would be surprised the day it happened. It was after all in the card with how his parents lived, but still it hit him hard. It hit him as hard as the time he had fallen off the side of a Yosemite ascent and bashed his face against the hot rock. He still had a scar over his eyebrow from that, and he would carry a deep scar from his parent’s death. 

They had gone skiing. Tony's mother was an Olympic skier for Italy after all, and they enjoyed going to the tops of mountains and skiing them. It was supposed to be a big event but as time progressed only Howard, Maria and their friend and fellow Olympian Obadiah Stane agreed to go. Obadiah was a very close friend, part owner of Stark Industries, and Tony's godfather. The day before the tragic run Obi had sprained his ankle on a run and decided it was for the best that he stay behind that day. 

As Maria and Howard skied a big shelf the snow gave way into a small avalanche. They weren't able to out ski the falling snow, and in the fall Howard broke a leg and Maria was buried under the snow. The pair didn't stand a chance in those conditions. The heavy phone call from Obi to Tony that night before it hit the news saw to Tony’s break down. Obi was on the next plane out to California to take care of Tony. After the funeral Obi took over custody of the sixteen year old. 

After the deaths of Tony's parents Obadiah tried his best to curve Tony's thrill for the sports. It worked for around a year because Tony was in such shock. He had mostly given up the most dangerous of sports and settled in to school with a sad air to him. Obi convinced him to apply to university and he eventually got into MIT for engineering when he was seventeen. Then things changed and Tony's shock wore off. He needed that feeling again to fill the hole his parents had left. 

 

_October 19, 2007 + First BASE Jump, El Capitan, Yosemite (7,573 feet)_

Before Howard's death he had BASE jumped plenty of places in his life. El Capitan was his favourite, and he never jumped from any legal place. So, a year after his father's death Tony organized an event to take place on El Capitan where he invited BASE Jumpers, climbers, and Wingsuit pilots from every walk of life to jump in honor of his father. Of course over fifty percent of them were arrested and fined by the National Park. 

It was Tony's first ever BASE jump, and no one ever started on a jump like El Capitan. It was unheard of and many people tried to talk Tony out of doing it, but the seventeen year old was convinced to do this. He had remembered his dad telling him more than once that if the stunt hadn't been done before then do it before someone else did. Obi was a nervous wreck and hated watching. 

Tony was at the top of El Capitan with his friends, a chute on his back and a pilot chute in hand. He took a deep breath, ready to plunge to his death if things didn't go right. He had his camera and as his friends filmed him he had said, "Sometimes you've got to run before you can walk." With that Tony Stark ran and jumped off the edge of Yosemite for the first time. As he fell he released his pilot chute and the gentle pull of the parachute tugged on his arms as he floated down to the ground and was arrested for the jump. 

That feeling was even better than skydiving, he decided. 

 

_September 9, 2008 + First Day of Second Year at MIT, Meeting Rhodey_

Tony's first year at MIT in the engineering and physics program had been easy in Tony's eyes. His roommate at the time, a Justin Hammer, had been the most annoying prick ever and Tony could not stand staying another semester with him. His roommate request was cleared and he had gotten his roommates name two days before move in because of some mix up at the registration office. Lucky for Tony his roommate was another engineering student in his second year. The kids name was James Rhodes.

When Tony reached his dorm room he was the first to get there, and Jarvis helped carry all his things up to his room. As Jarvis and Tony set up his bedroom the roommate entered. He was a muscled boy with short hair and a serious expression. Tony was just pinning up a poster of Mount Everest with his grandfather's quote 'I climbed Everest. What have you done today?' He finished tacking the poster in place and smiled at the boy.

"Hi, Tony Stark." He offered his hand, and the other took it happily.

"James Rhodes. Nice to meet you," he shook Tony's hand before dropping his bags on his side of the room.

James Rhodes looked at the things on Tony's wall. Posters of snowboarding and climbers, two helmets rested on his desk, and halfway under his bed was a box of climbing rope and gear along with his BASE Jumping gear. Jarvis was just putting away the last of his clothes when Rhodes spotted him.

"Oh. Are you his father?" Rhodes asked the tall slender man who laughed. 

"Lord no," the Englishmen shook his head. "Although I do sometimes feel I am. Edwin Jarvis. I am Mr. Stark's butler." Jarvis informed him.

"Oh." Rhodes just stood there for a moment. "You have a butler?"

"He's been with my family for a long time," Tony shrugged. "Practically raised me, didn't ya J?"

"Unfortunately," Jarvis said with a roll of his eyes. "I have finished putting your things away, Mr. Stark. I will be taking my leave now. Do not jump off of anything or break any bones within the next few months, please." 

"No promises, Jarvis." Tony gave the man a hug before the elder left them alone. 

Rhodes watched the exchange for a few seconds before he started unpacking. Tony took note of all the military things the other had and frowned a little. Was he stuck with some military nut? Tony wasn't going to get on with that too well but he decided to give the guy a chance and after they were both fully unpacked they sat across from each other. Tony frowned a little and stayed quiet. 

"What's all that stuff?" Rhodes asked as he pointed to the boxes of Tony's gear. 

"It's my climbing and jumping gear," he explained. "Ropes, gears, parachutes, beaners," he shrugged.

"Parachutes? That's really cool, dude." Rhodes grinned.

"Thanks. I do a lot of stuff like that. You like planes?" Tony pointed to the model fighter on his desk.

"Yeah," Rhodes grinned. "I've always wanted to fly. Since I can remember. My dad was a pilot."

"Dude, I love flying. It's...beyond wicked." Tony told him with a huge grin. "Although you like planes and I like jumping out of them."

"Seriously?" Rhodes looked shocked. 

"Yeah. I've been skydiving since I was twelve," Tony shrugged like it was no big deal. "Free falling is the best kind of flying."

"I've...I've never done anything like that," Rhodes frowned. 

"You should. Flying in a plane in one thing but skydiving is a whole new level." Tony told him. "I could teach you about it? Maybe take you out sometime to jump?"

"Really? That'd be so cool!" Rhodes brightened up and nodded quickly.

"Totally, Rhodey, Tony nodded eagerly. 

The pair hit it off beyond anyone Tony had ever met before. 

 

_December 29, 2008 + Skydiving, tandem jump with Rhodey (12,500 feet)_

It had taken awhile and a lot of extra time teaching Rhodey about skydiving but when Christmas break rolled around the older boy had finally agreed to go skydiving with Tony. Rhodey went back to California with Tony that Christmas so that Tony could take him skydiving and they also had plans to go rock climbing and rafting during the break.

They loaded into the plane and strapped together. Tony was experienced enough to be the master on the jump, and he figured Rhodey trusted him more than some stranger. Unlike Tony, Rhodey didn’t throw up in the plane. They got up to the door and waited for the green light.

“I don’t know, T.” Rhodey called out to him.

“Don’t wuss out now, Rhodey,” Tony told him and tapped his helmet.

“I’m not wussing out,” Rhodey sounded panicked. “I’m not backing out. I’m just…terrified.”

“Good. The more terrified you are the more adrenaline your body will pump when you get out of the plane.” Tony grinned.

Rhodey was about to speak again when the light switched. He wasn’t ready and Tony took great pleasure in jumping them out of the plane. Tony wished he could have seen Rhodey’s face but to the man’s credit he was silent all the way down. They free fell for a bit and just as Tony was sure Rhodey was terrified he pulled the chute. The gentle tug of the straps made him grin and they floated to the target on the ground.

The older boy didn’t throw up on the plane but he definitely up chucked after the landing. Tony laughed at him as he was unlatched and dropped to his knees so he could throw up. Tony patted his shoulder and they laughed a bit.

“So?” Tony raised an eyebrow.

“So…when can we do that again?” Rhodey smirked.

After that jump Tony had Rhodey hooked. They went climbing and rafting and all sort of other adventures that break. They loved it, and grew closer when they adventured together. The next few years they graduated from MIT while maintaining a life jumping off of things and traveling to faraway places to do the dangerous.

At the end of school the pair were offered sponsorship after a daring stunt in Paris were they jumped off the Eiffel Tower (in celebration of finishing at MIT) and managed to evade the police, getting away scot free. That stunt gained them a lot of fame and was the moment Rhodey decided to not join the Air Force and instead keep going with Tony on adventures.

 

_May 16, 2014 + BASE Jump, Taft Point, Yosemite (1,000 feet)_

Tony was twenty three at the time of the jump, nearly twenty four. Rhodey was twenty four, and their friend who was on the jump with them, Ho Yinsen, was twenty-nine. It was a casual jump that they had all done a hundred times.

As they hiked up to Taft Point they were laughing and messing with each other. Yinsen had joined the pair to make a team when their sponsors stole Yinsen from another company. The three worked together perfectly, and Tony and Rhodey got along very well with the Afghan. Once at the top they dropped their gear and took a break before their jump. Rhodey took out the GoPros to mount on their helmets as they talked about what they were going to do as far as the jump went.

Yinsen said he wanted to do a front flip off the edge, and Tony wanted to do a back flip. Rhodey didn’t much care for any execution but agreed to stay on the ledge so he could film them going down.

After everything was worked out Tony and Yinsen flipped for first, and Tony won the toss. Rhodey got the camera up and started filming.

“I’m Tony Stark, and this is my jump from Taft Point,” he winked into the camera. “I’m gonna jump and Yinsen is gonna follow me down seconds later. See ya on the ground.”

He grinned at the camera and ran to jump off the edge. He executed the backflip flawlessly and was in free fall for a few moments before pulling his chute. Yinsen was laughing as he followed Tony off the edge, doing his front flip.

It took a few moments for everything to go wrong. Tony’s chute deployed like normal and he was on his way safely down but as Yinsen pulled his cord the chute release wasn’t triggered, and Yinsen didn’t have a reserve chute on. As he fell he got closer and closer to Tony.

Tony had no idea anything wrong was happening because his chute blocked any view of Yinsen coming at him. A little under five hundred feet Yinsen came into contact with Tony, hitting his chute, tearing it and hitting Tony too.

As they hit the ground Yinsen died, and Tony was injured badly. Rhodey was watching the whole thing from above and as soon as they hit he jumped and landed not far away from the pair. As he ran up to his friends Tony opened his eyes and tried to move but as soon as he moved pain shocked his body.

Rhodey dropped onto his knees next to Tony with his phone out already calling for help. As he looked at Yinsen he knew the older man was gone. The panic on Tony’s face made Rhodey focus on him and not his dead friend.

“Wha-“ Tony could hardly open his eyes. “…fuck jus’ happened?” He was panting with the effort to breath.

“Hey, Tony. It’s gonna be okay,” Rhodey tried to assure his best friend. “The Park Rangers are sending help, okay?”

“Hurts,” he coughed and felt tears start to well up in his eyes. “Something…something hit me…”

“Yeah, man…it was Yinsen,” Rhodey told him. “Yinsen hit you, buddy.”

Tony looked confused and started to turn his head but Rhodey reached up and gently stopped him.

“No. No. Don’t move, Tony. You could have a spinal cord injury.” Rhodey held his neck gently to keep him stable.

“…Y-Yinsen?” His eyes were growing cloudy and he could hardly speak.

“Yinsen is…” Rhodey didn’t know what to do. “He’s…next to you, okay? The medics’ll help both of you.” He figured that telling Tony that his friend was dead would have ended in more panic and Tony moving.

Tony wanted to say more but his eyes fell shut. Rhodey panicked and started yelling at him, but of course he was out. Another five minutes and the Park Rangers were there along with medical staff. They took over for Rhodey and loaded the knocked out Tony into a helicopter. Yinsen was left where he was so that the case could be documented by the Park Rangers, but someone was kind enough to take Rhodey back to their car so he could go the hospital.

 

_May 19, 2014 + Hospital ICU, near Yosemite_

It took four days of surgery and medically induced coma before Tony woke up. The injuries he reserved from the violent landing were extensive. Major concussion, fracture of the left radius and ulna, fractured left clavicle, dislocated left knee with sprained MCL, and ACL, minor internal bleeding, and extensive bruising all along his left side. Lucky for Tony he had no spinal cord injury since most of the impact happened on his left side.

They placed plates, screws, and rods in Tony’s radius, ulna, and clavicle. His knee was tapped up and his stomach bandaged from surgery. When the swelling in his brain went down they eased him out of the coma.

The first time Tony’s eyes flickered open was at seven twenty two in the morning and the first person he saw was Rhodey who was parked in a chair next to the bed sleeping. If Tony was able to stay awake longer he would have woken his buddy up but he could barely stay awake.

The second time he woke was just after lunch and Rhodey was on his phone texting. Tony coughed and groaned when his chest burned from the cough. Rhodey’s eyes shot up to his body.

“Tony!” He jumped out of his chair and got the nurse.

The nurse came in and started checking him over. She asked a bunch of questions like what he could remember and how much pain he was in. All sorts of things. Tony answered all he could.

“Um…all I remember is being on top of Taft Point. Nothing after talking about what we were gonna do,” he frowned and looked around the room. “Where is Yinsen? Was he hurt too? Is he okay?”

The nurse looked at Rhodey who looked very upset. He sat on the edge of Tony’s bed and bowed his head. Tony knew it the moment he saw Rhodey’s face.

“No, come on. You’re lying, man,” he tried to deny it.

“Tony,” Rhodey took his good hand.

“…What…What happened?” Tony scrunched up his face in confusion as he tried to remember.

“…You jumped and your chute opened. Yinsen jumped and his didn’t,” Rhodey frowned deeply. “You guys jumped so close together that as he fell faster, and you slowed he hit you and tore up part of your chute. You both hit the ground together…he died on impact, Tony.”

Tony went silent. It was the first time Rhodey had ever known him to be quiet. He let the other take a moment before telling him about all his injuries and what surgery’s he had done. He explained that he was keeping everyone up to date via twitter and texting but that he had told everyone to give him space instead of coming to visit just yet. After a few minutes Tony looked at Rhodey.

“Do you have the tape?” He asked and Rhodey started to shake his head. “I wanna see it, man. I wanna see your tape and Yinsen’s GoPro footage.”

“Tony, I don’t think it’s a good idea…” Rhodey told him.

“Show it to me.” Tony demanded.

“…Okay,” Rhodey pulled out his laptop from his backpack and set it up on the tray table. He pulled up the footage from his camera first. “This is mine,” he informed Tony and the younger nodded and reached out to hit the space bar.

Tony watched himself talk into the camera then run and jump off the edge, followed by a laughing Yinsen then Rhodey moving to catch their drop from over the edge. He could see Yinsen yanking at his cord. He heard Rhodey’s curses on the camera and then the impact. Not three seconds after impact was the camera moving on its way down to the ground. It was still on as Rhodey ran up to Tony, and Tony got to hear everything that Rhodey said to him while he was laying on the ground. Once that video ended Rhodey pulled up Yinsen’s feed.

This one was much worse. Tony could hear Yinsen’s laugh as he jumped then the sound of the air. He heard the frantic screams of Yinsen as his chute didn’t deploy. The curses then the impact as he hit Tony. Lastly he heard the impact of the ground on their bodies. The camera died on impact just like Yinsen.

Rhodey took the laptop away and put it up. They sat in silence for a long time before a knock came to the door. It was Jarvis, and Obadiah. The pair had been in Japan during the jump, and could only just get there. Tony didn’t want to talk to them, but they stayed with him while Rhodey went to the hotel for some real sleep.

The injuries left Tony in physical therapy for months, but the scars went deeper than that. He never wanted to jump with another person again and he told Rhodey that. They were done being a team because Tony wasn’t going to be responsible for Rhodey getting hurt or worse. It was quite a few months before Tony was able to get back in the game but even then he was hesitant. He had been jumping since he was twelve and Yinsen was the first person to die with him. It really hurt Tony’s spirit.

It was around half a year before Tony was approached by Nick Fury and Shield to join what was being called the Avengers Initiative.


End file.
